Kenan Thompson, the longest-serving cast member of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), has addressed country singer Morgan Wallen’s unexpected exit during the show’s closing moments on March 29. Traditionally, the host, musical guest, and cast gather on stage to thank the audience as the credits roll. However, Wallen deviated from this norm by leaving immediately after hugging host Mikey Madison, bypassing interactions with the cast.
Kenan Thompson Expresses Confusion Over Wallen’s Departure
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Thompson shared his bewilderment: “I don’t know what goes through people’s minds when they decide to do stuff like that. I don’t know if he understood the assignment or not, or if he was really feeling a certain kind of way.” He added, “You see somebody before you get a chance to say hi or say good job or anything like that, they just dipping.”
Comparisons to Past Incidents
Thompson noted that while such behavior is rare, it’s not unprecedented. He recalled a similar instance involving the late musician Prince: “Prince did the same thing… we weren’t surprised because Prince was notoriously kind of standoffish. It’s just how he was.” However, Thompson emphasized that Wallen’s departure felt particularly abrupt due to the smaller group on stage that evening.
Wallen’s Post-Show Actions and Merchandise
Following his exit, Wallen posted a photo on Instagram of a private jet with the caption, “Get me to God’s country.” This phrase has since been featured on merchandise, including T-shirts and hats priced at $45 each. Thompson expressed puzzlement over the message, questioning its intent: “The ‘God’s country’ of it all is strange because it’s like, what are you trying to say? You trying to say that we are not in God’s country?”
Despite the unexpected turn of events, sources close to NBC have indicated that there is “no bad blood” between the network and Wallen, leaving the door open for potential future collaborations.
As SNL prepares for upcoming episodes, Thompson remains focused on the show’s future, stating, “Moving on, we got a new show. We got Jack Black this week… We will be fine.”